The present disclosure relates to distributed or remote manufacturing at multiple sites, and more specifically to manufacturing and assembling a device, such as a digital convergence monitor, at multiple sites and providing information from one site to another.
In a conventional process for manufacturing a cathode ray tube (xe2x80x9cCRTxe2x80x9d) monitor, an integrated tube component (xe2x80x9cITCxe2x80x9d) is assembled. The ITC includes a CRT, a deflection yoke (xe2x80x9cDYxe2x80x9d), and typically one or more magnets or permalloy components. The construction and operation of CRTs and DYs are well known in the art. In manufacturing, the DY is mounted on the CRT. The location where an electron strikes the front panel of the CRT is referred to as xe2x80x9clanding position.xe2x80x9d For desirable performance of the monitor and image quality, electrons in the CRT should have landing positions within defined locations or regions, such as phosphor stripes on the front panel of the CRT. The position of the DY is adjusted, as needed, to adjust the landing position of electrons in the CRT. The DY is then fixed in place on the CRT.
In addition to striking desired locations in the CRT, electrons should strike at desired times to provide unified dots of color in the image. When the electrons forming the colors of a dot do not strike the phosphor of the panel within the correct time frames, the colors may not blend properly resulting in a undesirable image. This timing problem is referred to as xe2x80x9cmisconvergence.xe2x80x9d Timing synchronization is referred to as xe2x80x9cconvergence.xe2x80x9d Proper convergence provides a desirable image. Accordingly, magnets can be applied to the CRT, ,as needed, to adjust convergence in the CRT. In another process, convergence circuitry in the CRT-DY assembly can be employed to adjust convergence using internal data register control. While convergence can be controlled by the CRT-DY assembly, there may be differences between specific CRT-DY assemblies in their performance relative to specified tolerances. For example, variations in material composition or component construction may cause these differences. The above techniques can be used to compensate,for these differences and correct the convergence of the monitor.
The present disclosure describes methods and apparatus implementing a technique for assembling a device, such as a digital convergence monitor, at more than one site where data is supplied from a first site to a second site and then the data is used in assembly of the device at the second site. In one implementation, a method for assembling a device at more than one manufacturing site includes: at least partially assembling a device at a first manufacturing site; adjusting the device at the first manufacturing site, where the adjustment is recorded in data; sending the data from the first manufacturing site to a second manufacturing site; assembling the device at the second manufacturing site; storing the data in the device; and adjusting the device at the second manufacturing site, where the adjustment at the second manufacturing site is recorded in the data.
In another implementation, the method for assembling a device at more than one manufacturing site further includes: sending the data from the second manufacturing site to the first manufacturing site; comparing the data recording the adjustment at the first manufacturing site with the data recording the adjustment at the second manufacturing site; and adjusting equipment at the first manufacturing site based on one or more differences between the data recording the adjustment at the first manufacturing site and the data recording the adjustment at the second manufacturing site.
In another implementation, a method for assembling a digital convergence monitor at more than one manufacturing site includes: mounting a deflection yoke on a cathode ray tube forming a CRT-DY assembly at a first manufacturing site; measuring landing position in the cathode ray tube; moving the deflection yoke on the cathode ray tube as needed to correct the landing position; fixing the deflection yoke in place on the cathode ray tube; uniquely marking the cathode ray tube with an identification code; placing the CRT-DY assembly in an ITC jig, where the ITC jig includes a memory and the memory of the ITC jig is connected to the deflection yoke; storing control data in the memory of the ITC jig, where the control data is for controlling operation of the deflection yoke; measuring performance of the CRT-DY assembly in the ITC jig, including measuring convergence and distortion in the CRT-DY assembly; adjusting the control data stored in the memory of the ITC jig as needed to correct performance of the CRT-DY assembly, generating revised control data; removing the CRT-DY assembly from the ITC jig; sending the revised control data from the first manufacturing site to a network server, where the network server is accessible from the first manufacturing site and from a second manufacturing site; sending the revised control data from the network server to the second manufacturing site; receiving the CRT-DY assembly at the second manufacturing site; mounting the CRT-DY assembly in a digital chassis forming the digitial convergence monitor, where the digital chassis includes a memory and the memory of the digital chassis is connected to the deflection yoke; retrieving the revised control data from the memory at the second manufacturing site, where the identification code of the retrieved revised control data matches the identification code of the received CRT-DY assembly; storing the retrieved revised control data in the memory of the digital chassis; measuring performance of the digital convergence monitor, including measuring convergence and distortion in the digital convergence monitor; and adjusting the revised control data stored in the memory of the digital chassis as needed to correct performance of the digital convergence monitor, generating final control data.
In another implemention, the method for assembling a digital convergence monitor at more than one manufacturing site further includes: reading out the final control data stored in the memory of the digital chassis; storing the final control data in memory at the second manufacturing site; sending the revised control data from the second manufacturing site to the network server; sending the revised control data from the network server to the first manufacturing site; retrieving the revised control data from the memory at the first manufacturing site, where the identification code of the retrieved revised control data matches the identification code of the final control data received from the second manufacturing site; and comparing the final control data with the retrieved revised control data at the first manufacturing site.
In another implementation, a system for assembling a device at more than one manufacturing site includes: a network server; a first manufacturing site, where the first manufacturing site comprises: first assembly equipment for mounting a deflection yoke on a cathode ray tube, forming a CRT-DY assembly; first measurement equipment for measuring landing position, convegence, and distortion in the CRT-DY assembly; first adjustment equipment for adjusting control data which affects the operation of the deflection yoke; a first data connection connected to the first adjustmnet equipment and the network server; and a second manufacturing site, where the second manufacturing site comprises: second assembly equipment for mounting the CRT-DY assembly in a digital chassis, forming a digital convergence monitor; second measurement equipment for measuring landing position, convegence, and distortion in the digital convergence monitor; second adjustment equipment for adjusting control data which affects the operation of the deflection yoke; a second data connection connected to the second adjustment equipment and the network server, where control data is sent from the first manufacturing site to the second manufacturing site through the network server and the received control data is supplied to the digital convergence monitor.